That was the Biosphere II project and yes it was a failure on the level that they did not manage to keep it totally self contained for the length of the experiment. I believe they had to let in more air towards the end as oxygen got low and I believe their food supply ran rather low. Ultimately it was not really a failure if you consider that it was one of only 3 similar projects, the eden project in England (which has different objectives but is similar in nature.) and a project in Russia that predated Biosphere II. The name of that project escapes me (it wasn't biosphere I...that is earth according to the scientists behind the project.). Ecosystems are incredibly complex machines and trying to recreate several different ones in a 2 1/2 acre enclosure is a difficult task at best and creating it to sustain several humans for a prolonged period and still be completely self contained makes it much more difficult.
Just like any other experiment they may have failed to achieve their goal but what they learned will greatly improve the success of the next attempt.

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• "Python Wars" - EricWI, Tue Feb 9 22:40:03 2010
• Being Used By Mainstream Media - jeffb, Tue Feb 9 23:46:58 2010
• RE: Being Used By Mainstream Media - EricWI, Wed Feb 10 07:00:40 2010
• RE: Being Used By Mainstream Media - webwheeler, Wed Feb 10 09:04:51 2010
• RE: Being Used By Mainstream Media - jscrick, Wed Feb 10 19:49:14 2010
• RE: "Python Wars" - EricWI, Wed Feb 10 18:09:59 2010
• RE: "Python Wars" - CSRAJim, Thu Feb 11 00:10:39 2010
• RE: "Python Wars" - brhaco, Thu Feb 11 09:04:35 2010
• RE: "Python Wars" - biophile, Thu Feb 11 18:13:10 2010
• RE: "Python Wars" - CSRAJim, Thu Feb 11 21:21:39 2010
• RE: "Python Wars" - brhaco, Thu Feb 11 21:40:46 2010
• RE: "Python Wars" - CSRAJim, Fri Feb 12 00:30:39 2010
• RE: "Python Wars" - brhaco, Fri Feb 12 08:35:39 2010
• You know what? - BRhaco, Fri Feb 12 10:03:32 2010
• RE: You know what? - CSRAJim, Fri Feb 12 17:51:15 2010
• RE: You know what? - brhaco, Fri Feb 12 20:42:36 2010
• RE: You know what? - CSRAJim, Sat Feb 13 00:06:42 2010
• RE: You know what? - brhaco, Sat Feb 13 09:46:18 2010
• RE: You know what? - brhaco, Sat Feb 13 10:12:58 2010
• RE: You know what? - emysbreeder, Sat Feb 13 11:08:24 2010
• RE: You know what? - brhaco, Sat Feb 13 11:22:17 2010
• By the way- - brhaco, Sat Feb 13 11:37:18 2010
• RE: You know what? - CSRAJim, Mon Feb 15 16:04:32 2010
• RE: You know what? - jscrick, Sat Feb 13 10:24:20 2010
• Perhaps you're right... - brhaco, Sat Feb 13 10:29:19 2010
• RE: Perhaps you're right... - Jaykis, Sat Feb 13 11:44:39 2010
• Perhaps I misspoke. To clarify.... - jscrick, Sat Feb 13 13:59:57 2010
• RE: You know what? - CSRAJim, Mon Feb 15 15:56:40 2010
• Consequences - brhaco, Mon Feb 15 17:03:26 2010
• RE: Consequences - CSRAJim, Mon Feb 15 19:48:14 2010
• RE: Consequences - brhaco, Mon Feb 15 20:14:29 2010
• RE: Consequences - CSRAJim, Tue Feb 16 09:00:46 2010
• Wow- - brhaco, Tue Feb 16 16:40:27 2010
• ...and why is... - jscrick, Mon Feb 15 22:38:38 2010
• Thanks Jim. - natsamjosh, Mon Feb 15 10:42:38 2010
• RE: Thanks Jim. - CSRAJim, Mon Feb 15 17:59:27 2010
• RE: "Python Wars" - jscrick, Thu Feb 11 22:11:36 2010
• RE: "Python Wars" - CSRAJim, Fri Feb 12 00:50:50 2010
• RE: "Python Wars" - DanielsDen, Mon Feb 15 19:17:23 2010
• RE: "Python Wars" - CSRAJim, Mon Feb 15 20:11:21 2010
• RE: "Python Wars" - brhaco, Mon Feb 15 20:24:44 2010
• RE: "Python Wars" - CSRAJim, Tue Feb 16 09:09:53 2010
• RE: "Python Wars" - jscrick, Wed Feb 17 07:23:13 2010
• RE: "Python Wars" - CSRAJim, Fri Feb 19 10:02:05 2010
• RE: "Python Wars" - jscrick, Fri Feb 19 13:25:43 2010
• Biosphere II - Calparsoni, Fri Feb 19 16:17:13 2010
• RE: Biosphere II - CSRAJim, Fri Feb 19 18:56:59 2010
• RE: "Python Wars" - CSRAJim, Fri Feb 19 18:50:58 2010